Mama Frischkorn’s Double Gold Caramel Corn Recipe

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Okay, this isn’t just a good caramel corn recipe. This is the best caramel corn you will ever eat.
My buddies at Kendall Jackson Winery have this on their wine and food pairing menu and it just stopped me cold. I’m like, “Okay, I need this recipe NOW.” What’s even better? They made me a tub of the stuff to repackage as my own for the 2009 Handcar Regatta. I’m forever in debt. Now just go and make this stuff.

This is an easy weeknight dessert or afternoon snack. This sweet and salty treat compliments the aromas of vanilla and caramel found in the Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Chardonnay.

Ingredients:

½ cup Butter

¼ cup Corn Syrup (light)

1 cup Brown Sugar

½ tsp. Vanilla

¼ tsp. Baking Soda

3 quarts Popcorn (air popped)*

2 tsp. Kosher salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300º.

Grease a foil lined cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

In a 1-gallon, heavy-bottomed sauce pot, melt the
butter over medium heat. Add both the corn syrup and brown sugar,
stirring to combine. Simmer until large bubbles begin to form without
agitating the pan, approximately 4 minutes. Once the mixture comes up
to temperature, continue cooking on medium heat and stir every thirty
seconds for the next 4 to 6 minutes**. Turn off the heat and carefully
whisk in the salt, vanilla and baking soda. Fold in the popped corn
and gently coat without crushing.

Transfer the popcorn to the greased cookie sheet
and bake at 300º F. Gently stir every 5 minutes for 15 minutes, making
sure all the popcorn is evenly coated. Remove and cool the finished
caramel corn on wax paper. Once cool enough to handle, but not
completely cold, break apart the popcorn bunches.

*Air popped popcorn is preferred, but stove top method will also work.

** To check the color of the caramel at this point; carefully dip one
piece of the popped corn into the pot. The caramel should be amber in
color.